Four Years Later
by MM-UP
Summary: Sequel to 'Rizzoli & NCISles', takes place four years after that story (hence the title). Now complete.
1. Prologue

**Four Years Later**

Prologue

**Rating: **K+ for now, will probably go up in later chapters.

**Disclaimer: **I own neither NCIS nor Rizzoli & Isles nor The Lion King.

**A/N: **This is just a short summary of 'Rizzoli & NCISles', written from Abby's POV. The real beginning of 'Four Years Later' is the next chapter.

* * *

My name is Abby Sciuto and I work for NCIS. Never heard of that? Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Four years ago, we helped Boston Homicide find the killer of a young female Marine... well, Team Gibbs helped them. Team Gibbs, that's Special Agents Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Tony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, and Ziva David- no wait, Ziva was still a Mossad liaison officer for NCIS back then.

Anyway, Team Gibbs drove up to Boston while I stayed in D.C., till the day I got an e-mail from McGee. He wrote that Dr Maura Isles, the Boston Medical Examiner, reminded everyone of Special Agent Caitlin Todd, a former colleague of ours who'd been shot dead by a terrorist. In fact, Dr Isles looked so much like Kate that Gibbs- quoted as saying, "I don't believe in coincidences"- thought they were related.

And he was right, because when I went to Boston the next weekend and ran a test on samples of the doc's and Kate's DNA, they were almost 100% identical. The result was confirmed by the birth certificates Detective Jane Rizzoli got from the hospital: Dr Isles and Kate had the same biological parents and were born on the same day, just twenty minutes apart- in other words, they were twin sisters, but they sadly never got to know each other 'cause they grew up in two different adoptive families.

I'd planned to already fly back to D.C. that evening, but my flight was cancelled, so I spent the night on Detective Rizzoli's couch. We talked a bit, I told her about Kate, and then we somehow got to the topic of boyfriends. Jane said there were basically two types of men: Some hated that she was a cop and the others wanted her to put those handcuffs to use. I asked if she'd ever considered dating a woman, which caused her to choke on her beer and in between coughs reply something along the lines of, "All the guys who think I'm gay, I can live without 'em going all, 'Ha, we knew it!', on me."

However two bottles of beer later, Jane reluctantly admitted that she had a crush on her (female) best friend. She didn't want to talk about it to said friend, though, 'cause she wasn't sure if the other woman was feeling the same way. I suggested they could watch The Lion King together (My first boyfriend and I confessed our love to each other while watching that movie. The boy later turned out to be gay, but Jane didn't need to know that).

The next morning, we- Team Gibbs, Jane, Dr Isles, and me- hit the road to D.C. and arrived there in the afternoon. Tony said he had a date and Gibbs probably went straight to his basement to work on his boat, but the rest of us went to visit Kate's grave.

I don't know what exactly happened in Boston that Sunday evening, but on Monday morning, Jane texted me that she and the doc had finally admitted their feelings for each other- while following my suggestion to watch The Lion King, which I rewarded myself for with an extra Caf-Pow (or two or three...).

* * *

Speaking of Caf-Pow, that's the reason why I'm not in my lab right now, but on my way back from the nearest supermarket. Usually Gibbs gives me my Caf-Pows when he comes down to my lab to ask me what I've found, but Team Gibbs is out at a crime scene and I immediately needed a dose of caffeine.

Passing by the cemetery, I notice two people walking towards the exit where I am. Since I'm squinting my eyes against the bright sunlight, I'm not 100% sure, but one of them looks a lot like Kate and assuming that Kate didn't suddenly rise from the dead, it's quite probably her twin sister, Dr Maura Isles from Boston. And the dark-haired one next to her could be Detective Jane Rizzoli... I decide to wait for them and say hi.

* * *

**A/N: **There'll be two or three more chapters for this, so it's not gonna be as long as 'Rizzoli & NCISles' (Sorry guys, I don't have much time to write at the moment).


	2. Visiting DC

Chapter 1- Visiting D.C.

**Rating: **T for language.

**Disclaimer: **Not mine.

**A/N: **This chapter is mostly written in 3rd person POV, but a small part is told from Abby's perspective.

* * *

The Washington sun was shining down at Detective Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isles from Boston, who were standing in front of the grave of one Special Agent Caitlin Todd. Maura was quiet, seemingly engaged in a silent conversation with her dead twin sister. Jane, on the other hand, was throwing nervous glances around the area and shifting her weight between her feet. There were two reasons for that behavior, number one being that she'd never really liked visiting cemeteries. The second reason was currently resting in a small box in Jane's left pocket. _Should I ask her now? I'm nervous as hell, I wanna get it done as soon as possible, but in front of her sister's grave? No._

"Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"You seem nervous, would you like to leave?"

Jane took her girlfriend's hand and smiled as reassuringly as possible. "Only if you're ready to leave as well."

Maura smiled back. "I am."

* * *

They were almost at the exit when Jane spotted a single person standing on the other side of the gate. _I know those pigtails..._ "Maur? I think that's Abby over there."

"Abby from NCIS?"

"How many Abbys do you know here in D.C.?"

"Oh, just the caffeine-addicted Goth who works for NCIS."

"... and is standing there at the gate", Jane finished the sentence.

* * *

I was right, the two people walking towards me are Detective Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isles... still looking very much in love with each other. That thought makes me smile- after all, they admitted their feelings while following **my** suggestion to watch The Lion King. Today, they obviously just visited Kate's grave, why else would they drive all the way from Boston to D.C.? _But now that they're already here, I'm gonna ask if they feel like saying hi to Team Gibbs._

* * *

"Hi Abby."

"Jane! Nice to see you!"

" *groan* Abby?"

"Yeah?"

"Oxygen."

"What?... Oh." Abby let go. "Remind me of that sexual harassment at work seminar. Miss What-was-her-name-again said I had to ask for permission before hugging people."

"Well, friendly physical contact such as hugging has proven to increase the level of endorphines, which in turn helps improving the hugging people's immune systems and makes them feel better. However if the physical contact is unwanted, it will more likely cause a stressful reaction due to the releasement of adrenaline from the adrenal medulla."

"Oh... Jane, did it make you feel stressed when I hugged you?"

"Nope. If anything, it make me feel choked."

* * *

Abby decided to change topic: "Now that you're already here in D.C., d'you wanna say hi to Team Gibbs?"

"Yeah, why not?" Jane looked at Maura. "Or what about you?"

"I'd like to see Gibbs and his team again, but I don't want to distract them from their work."

"Well, when I left, all they were doing was leftover paperwork. If they didn't get a case while I was gone, they'd be more than happy 'bout a little distraction."

"Okay."

* * *

"**That**'s your car?", Jane exclaimed when she saw Abby's red hearse-shaped vehicle.

"Yeah, got a problem with that?"

"No..." They got in and Abby drove off. "So, you two still together?"

"Yes, we are." Maura snuggled as close to Jane as their safety belts would allow.

"That's great news... Erm, if you feel like kissing or anything back there, go ahead, but please keep it G-rated, I still have to concentrate on driving."

"Abby, we have no intention of having sexual intercourse in the backseat of your car", Maura assured her.

"Why not?" Jane's raspy whisper sent a shiver down Maura's spine, but the M.E. refused to give in. "How old are you, sixteen?", she whispered back.

"Four years, huh? That's quite a long time... Ever thought of taking the next step?" Noticing the two confused faces in the rearview mirror, Abby added: "Gay marriage is allowed in Massachusetts, isn't it?"

Jane's hand unconciously went to her left pocket before she quickly pulled it away. _Crap, I hope Maura didn't see that. _"Uh, yes, it is..."

"So what are you waiting for?"

_The right time and place to ask Maura. _Jane Rizzoli didn't consider herself an overly romantic person, but the backseat of a car seemed much too unromantic, even to her.

* * *

Jane was ripped out of her thoughts by Abby parking the car and announcing, "We're there. I'm gonna take you upstairs, okay?"

"What if Team Gibbs got a case while you were gone?"

"In that case, I'll give you a tour of my lab."

"Really? I'd love to see your lab!"

"Yeah, me too..." _Ugh, I so hope Gibbs and his team are there. Why is Maura so excited about seeing a lab that probably looks just like hers in Boston? On the other hand, a Goth's lab _might _look a bit different from Maura's. But I still hope Team Gibbs didn't get a case._

"You know, I could call Gibbs and ask if he's still sitting at his desk... ", Abby pointed out.

"Then why don't you do that?"

The Goth shrugged. "I like to surprise people."

They entered the NCIS building and Abby pressed the upward button next to the elevator.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for the cliffhanger. Next chapter will be published ASAP :).


	3. Reunion

Chapter 2- Reunion

**Rating: **T for language.

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

* * *

"I hate paperwork", _Very_ Special Agent Tony DiNozzo declared, followed by, "Ouch! Fuck! And I especially hate paper **cuts**!"

The elevator dinged. "Hey guys, where's Gibbs?"

"Director's office." Tony was still examining his wounded finger.

"Hey Abby, you look like you're up to something", Special Agent Timothy McGee observed.

"McGee, you know me too well." Abby gave a thumbs up to somewhere behind her and Tony turned his attention away from his finger just in time to see two people step up next to the Goth scientist. "Well if that aren't Rizzoli & Isles... sounds like a movie title, actually... uhm, yeah. Hi, how are you?"

"Fine, thanks. You?"

"I'm injured and stuck at my desk doing paperwork, but apart from that, I'm fine, too."

"You're injured?" Maura's doctor instincts kicked in as she stepped closer to Tony's desk. "What happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing doc, just a paper cut." Tony briefly held up his finger and was about to risk a look down Maura's shirt when he found himself at the receiving end of the infamous Rizzoli glare. _Don't you fucking dare, she's mine!_, Jane's eyes telegraphed. And Tony seemed to get the message, for he tore his eyes away from Maura's chest, cleared his throat, and was suddenly very busy reading the file on his desk.

_Alright, Tony hasn't changed at all. Let's see about the others. _Jane walked over to McGee as if nothing had happened, put her friendly face back on and said, "Hi."

"Hi. Uhm, so what're you and the doc doing in D.C.? Frost didn't mention anything about you two coming here."

"You're still in touch with Detective Frost?" Maura had stood next to Jane.

"Yeah, we sometimes e-mail each other."

"Really? Frost never told me... Anyway, we visited Kate's grave, then we met Abby and she asked if we wanted to say hi to Gibbs and his team."

"And apparently, your answer was yes", said a voice behind them, making and Jane and Maura turn around to the person at the desk opposite to Tony's: "Ziva! You've changed a lot during those four years."

"Did I?"

"Well, your earrings are new.. "

"Dr Isles, did you just joke?", Jane asked in fake shock.

"Well, technically, I didn't, I only pointed out one of many aspects of Ziva's appearance that have changed since the last time we met."

"My earrings are not the only aspect that has changed." Ziva took her ID out of a drawer in her desk and held it up.

"Special Agent Ziva David", Jane read out.

"Still **Probationary **Special Agent at the moment", Tony emphasized. "Probie for short."

* * *

_If that saying about looks that can kill you was true, he'd most likely have died by now_, Maura thought.

"Hey, I'm saying it with love", Tony defended himself, causing Ziva to aim another death glare at him before turning her attention back to the visitors from Boston. "Yes, I am an NCIS agent now, not a Mossad liaison officer anymore."

"Wow, congratulations! Was it difficult to get that job?"

"Well, I had to pass my US citizenship test, and for that I had to learn a lot of things that most Americans who were born here have never heard of. I still think that is kind of unfair."

"Guess my grandparents were lucky they didn't have citizenship tests yet when they emigrated to the US", Jane remarked.

"Your grandparents?"

"Yep, they were born in Italy."

"I already guessed so from your last name. But I have no idea where a person with the last name Isles could be from." She looked at Maura questioningly.

"My biological father was Irish." _And I absolutely don't want to talk about him._

* * *

She didn't have to because the elevator dinged again and an elderly man wearing scrubs and glasses walked over to them. "Here's the autopsy report. Where's Jethro?"

"At the director's office", Ziva replied. "Ducky, allow me to introduce Detective Jane Rizzoli and Dr Maura Isles from Boston. Jane, Maura, this is NCIS pathologist Dr Donald Mallard, usually referred to as Ducky."

They exchanged a few, "How are you" 's and, "Nice to meet you" 's before Maura and Ducky quickly got engaged in a scientific discussion Jane understood about half of. _Great._

"Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"What is that in your left pocket?", Ziva whispered.

Jane's hand unconciously moved there. "Uh, nothing."

Ziva's smile was friendly, but with a hint of danger in it. "I know when someone is lying to me."

_And you probably know some nasty interrogation techniques, too. _"Okay, fine." Jane got the little box out of her pocket and opened it. "Happy now?"

"Hey girls, whatcha doin' over there?", Tony piped up. Jane rolled her eyes and turned around, carefully keeping the little box hidden behind her back."None of your business, DiNozzo." She turned back to Ziva and was treated to another smile, this time 100% friendly. "Well, whoever you want to ask to marry you, I hope she will say yes."  
With that, Ziva got back to reading one of the files on her desk, leaving a rather confused Detective standing there: _'I hope __**she**__'ll say yes?' How did she find out 'bout me and Maura? We weren't holding hands or anythin' when we walked in... _Jane realized the little box was still open, so she quickly shut it and placed it back in her pocket.

* * *

"I wonder what Gibbs is doing upstairs for so long?", McGee thought aloud. As if on cue, a door on the upper floor opened and a second later, grey-haired Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs came jogging down the stairs. "Grab your gear, we've got a case", he told his team while making a beeline for his own desk to do so as well. On the way to the elevator, he actually wasted time on a brief nod towards Jane and Maura. "Rizzoli, Doc, nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you, too, Agent Gibbs", Maura answered politely, but he was already at the elevator. Tony, on the other hand, was still at his desk. "So, you two are together now?", he asked quietly. Jane and Maura exchanged a look before the Detective replied: "Yeah, got a problem with that?"

"I knew it!" Tony fist pumped and grinned triumphantly, which was quickly replaced by a frown at the impatient, "DiNozzo!", from the inside of the elevator. "Sorry, gotta go." He left.

* * *

"So, you still wanna see my lab?" That was Abby. Ducky had left in between (probably trying to process the fact that he'd just met dead Special Agent Caitlin Todd's twin sister, who also happened to be the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts), but the caffeine-addicted Goth was still there.

"Oh, I'd love to see your lab. Jane?"

The detective resisted the urge to make a face. "Okay." _It'd be kinda fitting to ask the question in a lab, Maura's a doctor after all... But first, I better find out what Abby's lab looks like, you never know with Goths._

* * *

**A/N: **Don't worry Jane, Abby doesn't keep living bats or anything in her lab :). Next chapter (last one, I think) will be set in Boston, I'll try to upload it ASAP.


	4. Four Words

Chapter 3- Four Words

**Rating: **T

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own NCIS or Rizzoli & Isles.

**A/N: **I think it's pretty obvious which four words this chapter is about (If you don't think so, read the previous chapters again). So, Rizzles fluff alert (not too sappy I hope :).

* * *

En route from D.C. to Boston

"Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you imagine marrying me?"

Jane's car almost crashed into the truck driving in front of it. "Maura! Goddamnit!"

"Language Jane. And you didn't answer my question."

"Hey, I nearly crashed into that truck 'cause you couldn't hold off on proposing to me till we got home, I think I'm allowed to cuss a bit!"

"Well, technically, I wasn't proposing to you, I was only asking a hypothetical question in order to find out if there's even a possibility that you might want to marry me."

_If you need somethin' simple explained in a hyper-complicated way, just ask Maura Isles. _"Yep, there's definitely a possibility. Happy now?"

"Oh yes." Even though Jane's attention was fixed on the road, she was still able to make out her girlfriend's smile, complete with dimples and everything. The Detective was seriously considering pulling off the highway at the next rest stop and finally ask *that* question. For real, not hypothetically. _That'd be a good story to tell our kids... 'How did you two get married?'- 'Well, I asked Maura to be my wife at a scruffy ol' rest stop somewhere between Boston and Washington D.C.'_... "Urgh."

"Jane?"

"I'm fine Maur, just thinking." _Our kids? Where the hell did that thought come from? We both work fulltime plus long hours, we just don't have time for kids! Not to mention that Ma would completely freak out at finally having grandchildren... So, no. Concentrate on driving now Rizzoli._

* * *

A few hours later

Jane and Maura had just sat down to relax on Maura's couch when their respective phones rang. The detective groaned and got hers out of her pocket, silently praying that it wasn't a case. "Rizzoli."

"This is Dr Isles speaking... oh, hello Abby."

"Hey Ziva, did we forget something in D.C.?", Jane asked down her phone.

"Yes, we've just arrived." Maura got up and wandered off to the kitchen to get a beer for Jane and a glass of wine for herself.

"No, you did not. I am just wondering if you have already asked Dr Isles to marry you."

* * *

At NCIS, Abby quickly said good-bye to Maura, ended the call and stood closer to Ziva so that she could hear Jane talking. "No, not yet", the Detective admitted. "But I *will* ask her tonight, and no, you won't be listening to it 'cause I'll switch my phone off."

"Awww, c'mon", said a voice from the background, and Jane could literally hear the pout in it. "Sorry Abby, this is private, even for the person who made Maura and me finally confess our feelings to each other."

"Okay... Good luck."

"Yeah, thanks." Jane ended the call and looked up right in time to see her girlfriend return, carrying a bottle of beer and a glass of wine. "So what did Abby want to know?", she asked.

Maura placed the drinks on her couch table and herself on the couch next to Jane. "Just if we had arrived in Boston safely. Who was on your phone?"

"Ziva." _Now or never, Rizzoli. _"Asking if I'd already asked you to marry me."

"But how did she... are you actually planning to...?"

_Dr Maura Googlemouth Isles struggling for words. _Normally Jane would have teased her girlfriend about it, but the situation was anything but normal. _Hell, I'm about to propose to her! _The Detective quickly got the little box out of her pocket and took a deep breath. "Maura-"

* * *

"Hey girls, you're back!"

Jane rolled her eyes and shoved the box back into her pocket. "Captain Obvious, Ma. What're you doing here?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I live in Maura's guesthouse, so I saw the lights in here being switched on and wanted to make sure it was you two and not some bad guys."

"Yes Angela, it's us and we're fine", Maura assured her girlfriend's mother.

"Thank God", Angela Rizzoli sighed. "In these days, you can never be sure..."

"I know Ma, I'm a cop, remember? Now, would you please leave?"

Angela huffed a little. "Fine. Good night."

"Good night Angela."

"Sleep well Maura, don't let Janie keep you awake for too long." Jane's mother winked, which caused Maura to smile and Jane to grab a pillow from the couch. Considering her daughter's pillow-throwing skills, Angela decided to leave as quickly as possible.

* * *

"So, what did you want to say when your mother walked in?", Maura asked when her appartment door had closed.

"Uhm... well..." _Do I have to kneel or is sitting okay? I hope so. _"Maura, remember what you asked me in the car today?"

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"The question that almost caused our car to crash into that truck."

"You said you could imagine marrying me", Maura said half to herself. "Hypothetically."

"Exactly. And now I'm asking you- for real, not hypothetically..." Jane got the little box out of her pocket, took a deep breath and opened it. "Maura Dorthea Isles, will you marry me?"

"Most definitely yes, Jane Clementine Rizzoli."

Jane made a face. "No middle names, got it. So...?"

"Like I said, most definitely yes." The words came out a bit slurred because Maura had started crying, but unlike four years before when she had cried after seeing her twin sister's grave for the first time, these were tears of happiness. They tasted just as salty as tears of sadness, Jane discovered, but despite that she kissed them all away before slipping the ring onto Maura's finger.

The ME swallowed, smiled down at her hand and then looked up at Jane, cocking her head to the side. "How about we enjoy our first time now?", she whispered.

"Maur, we've been together for four years, it's hardly our first time", Jane pointed out.

"It's our first time as fiancées." Maura crawled over to Jane's side of the couch and straddled her.

"I like the way you think", was the last thing the Detective was able to say before her mouth was captured in a kiss that started off slowly, but quickly turned heated and passionate.

* * *

**A/N: **This was my sequel to 'Rizzoli & NCISles'. It ends the way it ends 'cause I wanted to keep it T-rated (I haven't written anything M-rated so far and I didn't want to try it in this story). Anyway, thanks for reading :-).


End file.
